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Reports and Policy Documents

2022

  • 21 Oct 2022

    <p>The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday appealed for calm and restraint in Chad following a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests</p>

  • 21 Oct 2022

    <p>Russia’s military escalation in Ukraine will lead to more suffering worldwide and must be reversed, said the UN’s political affairs chief on Friday, adding that further talk of possible nuclear weapons use could lead to a “dangerous spiral”.</p>

  • 20 Oct 2022

    The Bureau of the United Nations United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC) carried out a field visit to Cameroon, from 9 to 16...

  • 20 Oct 2022

    The Bureau of the United Nations United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC) carried out a field visit to Cameroon, from 9 to 16...

  • 20 Oct 2022

    <p>Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful under international law due to its permanence and the Israeli government’s de facto annexation policies, a UN-appointed Commission of Inquiry said in its first report, published on Thursday. </p>

  • 20 Oct 2022

    <p>Protecting women’s rights and promoting greater inclusion is a proven strategy for peace and stability, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the Security Council on Thursday. </p>

  • 20 Oct 2022

    DUSHANBE, Tajikistan

    On 18-19 October 2022, UNRCCA and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (...

  • 19 Oct 2022

    The members of the Security Council commended the announcements that Lebanon and Israel have agreed to end their dispute over their maritime boundary and delineate it permanently. This is a major step, which...

  • 19 Oct 2022

    <p>The Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) urged the international community and the media on Wednesday to give the crisis in Ethiopia “the attention it deserves”.</p>

  • 19 Oct 2022

    <p>Support from UN peacekeepers serving with the mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, has proven decisive in protecting civilians alongside Government efforts and amid widespread continuing insecurity, said the UN Special Representative for the country on Wednesday, briefing the Security Council.</p>

  • 18 Oct 2022

    She Stands For Peace | Season 3-Episode 8 | Out Now!  Click here to listen: https://unoau.unmissions.org/podcast-series-she-stands-peace

  • 18 Oct 2022

    TRAINING SEMINARS FOR YOUTH FROM CENTRAL ASIA AND AFGHANISTAN (OCTOBER 2022)

    ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

    ...

  • 18 Oct 2022

    The Special Representative and Head of UNOCA spoke on Tuesday, 18 October 2022 in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),...

  • 18 Oct 2022

    Garowe – The holding of direct local elections was the focus of a visit today by representatives from some of Somalia’s main international partners to the country’s northern...

  • 18 Oct 2022

    From October 4-8 in Bogotá, more than 30 women leaders and peacemakers from Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela attended the First Summit of #...

  • 18 Oct 2022

    <p>Thousands of severely malnourished boys and girls in Somalia are at risk of dying, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday, urging donors to step up support amid historic drought. </p>

  • 18 Oct 2022

    <p>Parties to the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia must cease all hostilities immediately and work towards a peaceful and lasting solution, the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, appealed on Tuesday. </p>

  • 18 Oct 2022

    <p>The situation in Mali continues to justify sustained international attention and engagement, the top UN official in the West African country told the Security Council on Tuesday. </p>

  • 18 Oct 2022

    <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, presented its <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/10/un-commission-has-found-... detailed written report</a> to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, which concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe “an array” of war crimes, violations of international human rights and humanitarian law have been committed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

  • 18 Oct 2022

    As delivered

    Good afternoon, Mr. President, Mr. Vice-President, members of the Cabinet, members of your advisory team.

    It’s a pleasure to be back in Garowe.

    I am here today with...

  • 18 Oct 2022

    As delivered

    Good afternoon, Mr. President, Mr. Vice-President, members of the Cabinet, members of your advisory team.

    It’s a pleasure to be back in Garowe.

    I am here today with colleagues...

  • 17 Oct 2022

    Addis Ababa, 17 October 2022: The African Union Commission (AUC) and the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), from 13 to 14 October 2022, concluded a joint...

  • 17 Oct 2022

    <p>A political solution in Haiti continues to be elusive, and on its own is no longer sufficient to address the crisis and save thousands of lives that otherwise will be lost, the UN Special Representative in the country warned the Security Council on Monday.</p>

  • 17 Oct 2022

    <p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>As the number of children reportedly killed by Iranian security forces in relation to ongoing protests rises to at least 23, the </span></span><span><span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/crc">UN Committee on the Rights of the Child</a></span></span><span lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> issued a statement on Monday condemning the killings, noting that hundreds more have been injured, detained and tortured during the Government crackdown.</span></span></span></span></span></p>

  • 17 Oct 2022

    <p class="x"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Fighting in the Tigray region of Ethiopia is “spiralling out of control”, and there is no military solution to end nearly two years of brutal conflict which has left tens of thousands reportedly dead, while the “social fabric, is being ripped apart”.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

  • 17 Oct 2022

    ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

    On October 11-14, UNRCCA, in cooperation with the UN...

  • 16 Oct 2022

    New York, 17 October 2022

    As we mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we face a harsh truth: the world is moving backwards.

    COVID-19 plunged millions into poverty, setting back more than four years of hard-won progress. Inequalities are widening. National and household economies are battered by job losses, skyrocketing food and energy prices, and the gathering...

  • 16 Oct 2022

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    On 13 October, the Security Council held a briefing and consultations on the implementation of SCRs 2451 and...

  • 16 Oct 2022

    <p>The UN’s deputy relief chief <a href="https://www.unocha.org/story/un-secretary-general-appoints-joyce-msuya-a... target="_blank">Joyce Msuya</a> stressed on Sunday that life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection in Yemen must be ramped up to protect the lives of millions of vulnerable people across the war-ravaged country.</p>

  • 15 Oct 2022

    Dakar, Friday 14 October 2022 – As part of the implementation of the Call to Action...

  • 15 Oct 2022

    <p>The UN Secretary-General <a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-10-15/statement-attri... a statement on Saturday</a> expressing grave concern over the escalation of fighting in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where Government troops and separatist forces have been locked in conflict since November 2020.</p>

  • 14 Oct 2022
    This Week in DPPA is a brief roundup of political and peacebuilding events and developments at UNHQ and around the world. 

    Security Council

    Special Envoy Grundberg briefs Security Council on Yemen after expiration of truce 

    On 13 October, Special Envoy Hans Grundberg briefed the Security Council on the situation in Yemen. He said that the parties had yet to agree on extending the truce, causing fresh uncertainty and a heightened risk for violence. He also noted his appreciation for the position of the Government of Yemen and its positive engagement with his proposal and expressed his regret that Ansar Allah had come up with additional demands that could not be met. The Special Envoy also welcomed the restraint shown by the parties since the expiration of the truce and urged them to continue to exercise maximum restraint. 

    Read full remarks here  

    Special Representative briefs Security Council on situation in Colombia 

    On 12 October, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative and the Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, presented the Secretary-General’s latest report.  The Special Representative expressed hope regarding renewed progress on the Government’s peacebuilding commitments, as well as its willingness to resume talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), which would enable the end of a conflict that has lasted for decades. He also welcomed the Government’s efforts to foster the active participation of women. Ruiz Massieu said that the decision announced last week by the Government of Colombia and the ELN to resume peace talks is encouraging and expressed his confidence that “Colombia can demonstrate to the world, once again, that there is no better alternative to end conflicts than the path of dialogue”.

    To read full remarks, click here

    Security Council meets on cooperation between the UN and the African Union  

    On 11 October, the Secretary-General spoke at the Security Council meeting on cooperation between the UN and the African Union.  In the 20 years since its creation, he said, the African Union has shown its determination to work towards integration, peace and prosperity on the continent Collaboration between the UN and the African Union has never been stronger, the Secretary-General said, but major challenges remain, including conflicts and unconstitutional government changes. 

    Read full remarks here   

    See our map for UN-AU partnership highlights here

    At Security Council open debate on climate and security in Africa, ASG Pobee outlines key areas for action 

    On 12 October, the Security Council held an open debate on climate and security in Africa. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee said that to support the continent in addressing the impact of climate change on peace and security, ambitious climate action was needed and the implementation of the Paris Agreement must be accelerated. She also underlined the need to increase the capacity for risk analysis and to integrate a climate lens into conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding. 

    Watch full remarks here  

    Haiti

    Secretary-General expresses deep concern over blockage of major fuel terminal, cholera outbreak in Haiti 

    On 9 October, the Secretary-General said that he remains gravely concerned about the situation in Haiti.  He reiterated that the blockage of the Varreux fuel terminal has brought critical services required to prevent the rapid spread of cholera to a stand-still, including the distribution of potable water. He urged the international community, including the members of the Security Council, to consider as a matter of urgency the request by the Haitian Government for the immediate deployment of an international specialized armed force to address the humanitarian crisis, including securing the free movement of water, fuel, food and medical supplies from main ports and airports to communities and health care facilities. The Secretary-General also submitted a letter to the Security Council proposing the deployment of a “rapid action force” and listing options for enhanced security support to Haiti, as requested by the Council in its resolution 2645.   

    Read the full statement here

    Colombia

    First Summit of Women Peacebuilders held in Bogotá 

    From October 4-8 in Bogotá, more than 30 women leaders and peacemakers from Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela attended the First Summit of Women PeaceBuilders. Participants visited projects carried out by women former combatants and community members in Popayán, Cauca, and exchanged political, cultural and peacebuilding experiences with women in reintegration process and social leaders. In Bogotá, they attended workshops with representatives of women's organizations, women former combatants, government representatives and institutions. 

    Lebanon

    UN Special Coordinator leads “greening” activity for UN Day 

    With a view to supporting Lebanon’s environmental recovery and marking UN Day, UN staff, led by Special Coordinator Joanna Wronecka, took part on 14 October in the planting of 1000 UN-donated trees in the area of Fallougha, north-east of Beirut. “Protecting the environment and expanding Lebanon’s green spaces are an important part of the country’s recovery and progress towards a more sustainable future,” the Special Coordinator said at the tree-planting site, which was selected by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and is the site where the first flag of Lebanon was raised.

    UN Special Coordinator Hosts Lebanese Academics 

    On 13 October, Special Coordinator Wronecka hosted a discussion with prominent Lebanese intellectuals and senior academics to listen to their views on how to steer Lebanon out of crisis and towards a more sustainable future. The discussions focused on immediate reform priorities, as well as the development of strong and independent state institutions. In addition, special attention was given during the discussions on the need to combat hate speech. 

    Iraq

    Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert meets with President of Iraq, President of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan 

    On 10 October, Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, accompanied by her Deputies Claudio Cordone and Ghulam Isaczai, was received in Baghdad by the President of the Republic of Iraq, H.E. Dr. Barham Salih. They discussed the need for the country’s political leaders to engage in dialogue to meet the expectations of the Iraqi people. Also on 10 October 2022, the Special Representative met with the President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Bafel Jalal Talabani. They stressed the urgent need for inclusive dialogue. 

    Deputy Special Representative Cordone meets with Kuwait Foreign Minister, discusses missing persons 

    On 11 October, Deputy Special Representative Cordone was received in Kuwait by Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Organizations, Abdulaziz Saud Mohammad Al Jarallah and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Head of the Prisoners of War and Missing Affairs Committee, Rabe’a al-Adsani. Discussions focused on Kuwait-Iraq relations with an emphasis on the file of Kuwaiti Missing Persons and Property. DSRSG Cordone also visited the Kuwaiti Forensics Laboratory with a delegation of the Tripartite Mechanism. 

     

    Sudan

    Trilateral Mechanism meets with President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of Sudan 

    On 11 October, the Trilateral Mechanism (UN Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan, African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development) met with the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, to discuss rapid developments in the Sudanese political arena and the prospects of a solution to the current political crisis. Speaking after the meeting, the Spokesperson for the Trilateral Mechanism, Mohamed Belaiche, noted the discussion was characterized by "a sincere will to expedite a political settlement engineered by the Sudanese stakeholders themselves on the basis of the broadest possible consensus.” He also underscored that dialogue is necessary for the desired democratic transition of Sudan.

    Central Africa

    UN Standing Advisory Committee on Security Issues in Central Africa begins its field visit  

    On 12 October, the UN Standing Advisory Committee on Security Issues in Central Africa (UNSAC) met in Yaoundé to kick-off its field visit to the region. Representatives of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Rwanda and São Tomé and Príncipe attended, together with the UN Regional Office for Central Africa, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Ministry of External Relations Cameroon. The mission will assess the situation of refugees and displaced persons; efforts by Cameroonian authorities and partners; and challenges aimed at fostering stability, peace, and the establishment of a sub-regional coordination mechanism within the UN Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC) framework. 

    West Africa and the Sahel

    Special Representative Annadif commends the efforts of ECOWAS  

    Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), concluded a one-day visit to Guinea-Bissau on 11 October. He met with the President of Guinea- Bissau, who is also the current Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Umaro Sissoco Embaló. They discussed the political and security situation in the sub-region, as well as the partnership with the UN and support for the consolidation of democratic institutions, peace and development in Guinea-Bissau.  

    Read more here 

    African Union 

    UNOAU-African Union hosts workshop on women’s equal participation in electoral process in Africa 

    From 13-14 October in Addis Ababa, the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU) and the African Union (AU) jointly organized a workshop titled “Women's Equal Participation in Electoral Processes in Africa”. The workshop gave electoral management bodies and other participating election practitioners a venue to share experiences and good practices on the challenges and opportunities facing women’s political and electoral participation in the region. They also discussed the development of an integrated approach to gender responsiveness and the inclusion of women. 

    Decolonization

    Fourth Committee meets to consider issue of decolonization 

    On 3 October 2022, the Fourth Committee began its general debate on decolonization. The President of the General Assembly, Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, and the Chair of the Fourth Committee, Ambassador Mohamed Al Hassan, opened the session. In his remarks, the General Assembly President said that the future of the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories must be established under international law and postulated on the peaceful settlement of disputes, “to ensure that this Fourth Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism is the last of its kind.” 

    The Decolonization Unit of DPPA provided substantive support to the Bureau of the Committee on Decolonization (also known as the C-24). For more information on decolonization, please visit the UN and Decolonization website.

    Podcast: "She Stands for Peace"

    New episode of “She Stands for Peace” podcast focuses on food security in conflict settings, climate security and the WPS agenda 

    The new episode of the podcast released this week feature Michael Dunford, the Regional Director for Eastern Africa at the UN World Food Programme, who discusses the realities of tackling food security in conflict settings, the impact of climate change, and how conflict-sensitive food systems might better respond to impacts of conflict on women. 

    Listen here

    Peacebuilding

    Peacebuilding Commission stresses importance of impact-driven collaboration in its written advice to the Security Council  

    On 11 October, the Peacebuilding Commission submitted written advice to the Security Council on the occasion of the Council’s Debate on the partnership with the African Union (AU). In the advice, the Commission encourages both organizations for more impact-driven collaboration including in support the AU’s efforts to revitalize and operationalize the AU's Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy. The Commission stressed the importance of the triangular partnership with Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, among other issues. On progress made by the AU on the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas, the Commission called for continued efforts to improve the gender and youth sensitivity of peacebuilding initiatives.

     

    Peacebuilding Commission issues statement to the Security Council at meeting on Colombia 

    On 12 October, the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, delivered a statement on Colombia to the Security Council.  The Commission commended President Petro and his Government on their commitment to peace, including the full implementation of the Final Peace Agreement, and encouraged the inclusion of the WPS agenda in all discussions relevant to peacebuilding in Colombia. The Commission also acknowledged the invaluable and complementary support that the UN Verification Mission in Colombia and the UN Country Team provide to peacebuilding in Colombia, and the catalytic contribution of the Peacebuilding Fund through the Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Sustaining Peace (MPTF). Noting Colombia as a successful example of inclusive peacemaking, the Commission expressed its commitment to continue accompanying the country in its peacebuilding efforts and called on partners to increase their efforts to support Colombia in this endeavor. 

     
    Community of Practice virtual learning exchange on hate speech  

    The Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) organized a Community of Practice virtual learning exchange on hate speech on 13 October, to exchange lessons and good practices in designing and implementing peacebuilding projects aimed at countering hate speech and disinformation. Between 2017-2021, through 17 projects in 14 countries, the PBF invested $38.7 million towards projects that include a component on countering hate speech. PBF supports initiatives that develop data and analytical tools for understanding and systematically tracking online hate speech; provide capacity building for national and local governments, political parties, CSOs, and journalists for early identification, prevention and mitigation of hate speech; organize dialogue fora between youth and community leaders; promote positive narratives, including by working with bloggers and social media companies; and implement sensitization campaigns to prevent hate speech, especially in electoral contexts. Independent evaluations of PBF-funded projects can be found on the PBF website, including for countering hate speech interventions in Côte d’Ivoire and Guatemala

     

    Next Week

    On 17 October (Monday), the Security Council will discuss Haiti, with the participation of Special Representative Helen La Lime, head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). On 20 October (Thursday), there will be an open debate on Women, Peace and Security: Strengthening women's resilience in regions plagued by armed groups. On 21 October (Friday), the Council will meet on the UN Support Mission in Libya.

    On 18 October at 10am EDT, the Peacebuilding Commission will hold an Ambassadorial-level meeting on the Gambia in the Conference room 6 of the Secretariat.

     

    Subscribe to This Week in DPPA here

    Contact DPPA at dppa@un.org

     

     

  • 14 Oct 2022

    TRIPOLI, 14 October 2022 – I arrived in Tripoli today to assume my functions as the Special Representative of the Secretary-...

  • 14 Oct 2022

    <p>An unrelenting series of crises has trapped vulnerable Haitians in a cycle of growing desperation, without access to food, fuel, markets, jobs and public services, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.</p>

  • 14 Oct 2022

    <p>An unrelenting series of crises has trapped vulnerable Haitians in a cycle of growing desperation, without access to food, fuel, markets, jobs and public services, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.</p>

  • 14 Oct 2022

    Mogadishu – On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the suicide bombing in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on 14 October 2017, the United Nations today joined the people and...

  • 13 Oct 2022

    The Secretary-General welcomes the announcements that the Governments of Lebanon and Israel have formally agreed to settle their maritime boundary dispute, as mediated by the United States...

  • 13 Oct 2022

    <p><span><span>New uncertainty and “a heightened risk of war” now prevails across Yemen, following the end of a long truce which brought significant dividends, the UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council on Thursday.</span></span></p>

  • 13 Oct 2022

    Dakar, 12 Octobre,2022- The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS...

  • 12 Oct 2022

    UN Photo

    Briefing by Carlos Ruiz Massieu, SRSG and Headof the UN Verification Mission in ColombiaSecurity Council...
  • 12 Oct 2022

    New York, 13 October 2022

    Climate disasters are hurting countries and economies like never before.

    Ever-rising greenhouse gas emissions are supercharging extreme weather events across the planet.

    I saw first-hand the devastation unleashed by the recent floods in Pakistan.

    These increasing...

  • 12 Oct 2022

    ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL MARTHA AMA A. POBEE

    REMARKS TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON

    THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY:
    CLIMATE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA

     

     New York, 12 October 2022

     

    Excellences,

    Mesdames et Messieurs, 

    Je voudrais remercier le Gabon d'avoir organisé ce débat et son Excellence, le Ministre des Affaires étrangères Michaël Moussa-Adamo, pour sa présidence de cette réunion, qui est opportune et importante.

    The climate emergency is a danger to peace. And although there is no direct link between climate change and conflict, climate change exacerbates existing risks and creates new ones.

    Africa, the continent with the lowest total greenhouse gas emissions, is seeing temperatures rising faster than the global average. Africa lies at the frontlines of the unfolding crisis.

    From Dakar to Djibouti, desertification and land degradation drive competition for resources and erode livelihoods and food security for millions.

    In the greater Horn of Africa, a devastating drought is forcing families to move far from their homes. In the Sahel, conflicts over resources are intensifying.  Violent extremists are adeptly exploiting these for their own ends.

    To support the African continent in addressing the impact of climate change on peace and security, we must act on multiple fronts. We can no longer afford to do business as usual.

    Unquestionably, we need ambitious climate action, and accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We look to COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in November, an African-owned, African-focused COP, for meaningful commitments from the largest emitters. We cannot hope to achieve lasting peace if we do not meet our climate goals.

    There are three additional priorities for action I would like to highlight today.

    First, we need to increase our capacity for risk analysis and integrate a climate lens into our conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts.

    This requires more and better data. With the help of innovation partners, we are tapping into new tools to better understand climate projections and trends, in order to reinforce our analytical and early warning capacity.

    In Central Africa, for instance, we are working to develop a satellite-powered dashboard to give new insights into water availability and have better understanding of the intersection of transhumance, climate change and conflict.

    This kind of work would not be possible without Climate, Peace and Security Advisors deployed in climate vulnerable regions to boost the capacity of UN field missions.

    Both our analysis and our resulting engagement must become more regionally-focused. Climate change knows no borders. Its implications for peace and security tend to be most prominent in borderland areas, which require cross-border resource-sharing or human mobility. Yet, existing peacebuilding efforts are often entirely based on single countries rather than reflective of this regional dimension.

    It is time we change that. In Central Africa our regional office, UNOCA, earlier this year completed an assessment of the implications of climate change for peace and security across the region. Among its recommendations, the assessment stressed the need for systematic collaboration, cooperation and partnership on climate security at the subregional level. To this end, efforts to develop a shared subregional vision and governance framework to institutionalize joint responses and interventions in the subregion in the short, medium, and long term are needed. The office is now working with partners to support the development of a sub-regional climate change strategy by the Economic Community of Central African States.

    And in West Africa, the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel is working closely with the Economic Community of West African States on good practices to prevent herder-farmer conflicts region-wide, including through land tenure reform and public communication.

    Second, our efforts to deliver peace and security must place people at the centre. We need to learn from those who experience daily, the consequences of climate change and leverage their expertise to develop effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

    Women are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts. But they are also crucial agents of change. They often possess unique knowledge that can help decrease tensions and strengthen social cohesion, leading to more sustainable peace outcomes that benefit people.  

    In Niger, for instance, the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund has supported local land committees accompanied by women mediators that have helped resolve community conflicts related to land use and management of natural resources.

    Youth, too, are key stakeholders driving innovative climate and peacebuilding action. We see their activism across Africa and have heard their testimony in this Chamber. The actions we take today to address the linkages between climate change, peace and security will shape their future.

    Third, we must seize opportunities for climate action and peacebuilding to reinforce each other.

    The Secretary-General has emphasized this repeatedly.

    Peacebuilding and climate action share many of the same objectives, namely resilient, just, and inclusive societies. Coherent policies are good for climate and for peace.

    In this connection, the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel is expanding its capacity to advise partners on conflict sensitive climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. This engagement will help develop the mechanisms to ensure that investment in adaptation and resilience reaches those most vulnerable and affected by conflict.

    The Peacebuilding Fund, too, is increasingly adopting a climate lens: Since 2017 the Fund has invested over USD 85 million in more than 40 climate-sensitive projects.  

    A review of Fund projects currently underway will provide valuable direction for future efforts.

    Excellencies,

    Vital to this ambitious agenda are multi-dimensional partnerships that connect the work of the United Nations, regional organizations, Member States, international financial institutions, civil society, the private sector, as well as international and local researchers.

    The United Nations is committed to expanding existing partnerships and forging new ones.

    We have established within our own system, the Climate Security Mechanism - a joint initiative between the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Department of Peace Operations, the UN Environment Programme and the UN Development Programme - to more systematically address climate, peace and security risks.

    Delivering on a commitment of international collaboration is a significant undertaking. It will require all of us to work together, in new and unprecedented ways.    

    We look to affected countries and regions to guide us in these efforts.

    Africa’s leadership is essential.

    Our response today does not match the magnitude of the challenge we are facing.

    Let us move faster. We look forward to more partnerships and collaboration at all levels.

    Je vous remercie.

  • 12 Oct 2022

    <p>The <a href="https://www.un.org/en/ga/">UN General Assembly</a> passed a resolution by a large majority on Wednesday, calling on countries not to recognise the four regions of Ukraine which Russia has claimed, following so-called referendums held late last month, and demanding that Moscow reverse course on its "attempted illegal annexation".</p>

  • 12 Oct 2022

    <p>African States are on the front line of the climate crisis, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday, but far more action is needed to turn the tide on rising emissions, and reduce global warming.</p>

  • 12 Oct 2022

    <p>The head of the <a href="https://colombia.unmissions.org/en">UN Verification Mission in Colombia</a> told the Security Council on Wednesday that with the recent election of President Gustavo Petro, expectations were running high for progress towards the full and final implementation of a lasting peace deal, after decades of civil conflict.</p>

  • 12 Oct 2022

    The results of the United Nation’s work in Libya during the last year are highlighted in the newly released report of the UN in Libya’s Results for 2021.  

    The report details the collective efforts of the UN Support Mission in...

  • 12 Oct 2022

     

    Press release of the presentation of the latest Secretary-General’s Report on Colombia to the United...
  • 11 Oct 2022
    From 10 to 12 October 2022, the fifth workshop of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) Committee of Experts (CoE) convened at the AU Permanent Observer Mission in New York, facilitated by UNOAU, supported by SCAD and...
  • 11 Oct 2022
  • 11 Oct 2022

    <p>Cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union (AU) is stronger than ever, however major challenges remain, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Tuesday. </p>